The present invention relates to electrical power generation, and more specifically substantially pollution free power generation obtained from naturally occurring hydrocarbons with the reinjection of waste byproducts into subterranean formations.
As a result of worldwide industrialization in the 19th and 20th centuries and the discovery of the internal combustion engine, an ever increasing demand for hydrocarbon fuel exists throughout the world. More specifically, xe2x80x9chydrocarbonsxe2x80x9d as discussed herein include all carbon based combustible fuels such as coal, petroleum products such as oil and tar, and natural gas, and any organic compound of hydrogen and carbon which occurs naturally in gaseous, liquid or solid form and is generated through either biogenic or thermogenic means. Although extremely beneficial as a fuel source, these hydrocarbon energy sources emit toxic fumes and carbon containing compounds in their exhaust when burned, and are thus believed to be a major contributor to global warming, air pollution and other undesirable conditions known to cause harm to human health and the environment.
Although recent improvements to power generating exhaust systems including catalytic converters, exhaust scrubbers and other similar products have improved the efficiency and reduced emissions of power plants which rely on hydrocarbon fuel sources, there is still a significant problem with regard to how these toxic emissions from hydrocarbon fuels can be significantly reduced or eliminated.
In conjunction with the aforementioned problem of toxic and carbon containing gas emissions, an additional problem exists in producing and transporting hydrocarbon fuels from remote locations to existing electrical power plants located near high population densities. More specifically, significant numbers of hydrocarbons reservoirs, and more specifically natural gas fields are discovered in remote locations which are often hundreds of miles from a major city or power plant. Since the discovered reserves are not sufficient to justify the economic expense of a gas transmission pipeline, many of these smaller hydrocarbon reservoirs are never exploited, thus preventing the production of valuable energy resources from remote locations.
Thus, a significant need exists for an apparatus and method for exploiting hydrocarbon reservoirs in remote locations to provide cost effective, and substantially pollution free energy to local communities and municipalities.
It is thus one aspect of the present invention to provide a cost effective, economical apparatus and method to exploit and produce combustible products from hydrocarbon reservoirs and generate electrical energy in remote and isolated locations. Thus, in one embodiment of the present invention, produced natural gas from a subterranean formation is utilized to power an electrical generator which produces electrical energy for transmission through local power lines and grid systems.
It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for generating substantially pollution free energy from hydrocarbon reservoirs which contain oil and natural gas. Thus, in one embodiment of the present invention the exhaust byproducts from an engine used to drive an electrical generator is contained, scrubbed to remove water and other impurities, and reinjected into a subterranean formation to eliminate emissions of toxic and carbon containing exhaust gases to the atmosphere.
It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for improving in a cost effective manner the productivity of an existing hydrocarbon reservoir, which at the same time substantially eliminating toxic gases and exhaust byproducts from entering the atmosphere. Thus, in one aspect of the present invention the exhaust gases created during electrical generation are collected, compressed and reinjected into the producing hydrocarbon reservoir. The injection of the exhaust gases thus increases the reservoir pressure and enhances the production rate and ultimate recovery from the hydrocarbon reservoir.
Thus, in one embodiment of the present invention a method for creating substantially pollution free energy is provided, comprising the steps of:
a) producing hydrocarbon fluids from a subterranean formation;
b) separating non-combustible constituents from said hydrocarbon fluids;
c) generating electrical energy from said hydrocarbon fluids;
d) transmitting said electrical energy into a local electrical transmission line; and
e) injecting a waste byproduct gas from said generating electrical energy step into at least one of said subterranean formation or a secondary subterranean formation.